Smartphones

A little-known airport rule could mean your phones or laptops are confiscated – and it applies in the UK affecting passengers with the likes of TUI, BA, Ryanair and easyjet

Brits should take heed of a little-known airport rule that could mean your phone or laptop gets confiscated before you’ve even boarded your flight.

The restriction is enforced at airport security, and has been known to catch out passengers flying on the likes of TUI, British Airways, Ryanair, or easyJet, and more, as the airlines themselves don’t enforce it.

Most of us take at least one electrical item in our luggage, be it a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop, and no doubt yours will hold your boarding pass and maybe a Netflix show or two to enjoy along the way. However, should you get to airport security and find your battery is at 0%, then you may have a problem. All electrical devices need to be powered up, as airport staff are allowed to ask you to turn these items on.

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If a flat battery stops you from doing this, then you may be refused boarding, or may have to make the choice to leave your item behind. The UK government’s official website, which provides extensive travel guidance and updates, states: “Make sure your electronic devices are charged before you travel. If your device does not switch on when requested, you will not be allowed to take it onto the aircraft.”

Should you make the mistake of having an uncharged device in your hand luggage, the choices vary depending on the airport you’re travelling from and your airline. If you’ve not checked your bag yet, you can put it in there, and it’ll be put in the hold.

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The advice from British Airways’ (BA) website is clear. “Please ensure that any items in your hand baggage are fully charged and switched on before you arrive at the airport. If your device is not charged, please place it in your checked baggage.”

They also advise: “If you are connecting, make sure that you do not deplete power in your devices during the first part of your journey as charging points at airports might be very limited and you may need an adapter.”

For London-Heathrow passengers, BA say those with flat batteries may need to rebook on a later flight to give them time to recharge, but that that “a fee might apply”. Alternatively passengers can leave goods at Bagport, the lost property office, and get a reference number for their item. Once at their destination, they can contact Bagport to arrange for the retrieval of their item.

Meanwhile TUI has warned passengers: “If you’re carrying any electronic devices in your hand luggage that are capable of holding a charge, you’ll need to make sure they’re fully charged when you go through airport security. This is part of new security measures that have been introduced by airports in the UK and abroad. We recommend you keep things like mobile phones switched on until you board the plane, as there might be more checks at the departure gate.”

It’s not just a flat battery that could prove an issue. Both easyJet and Jet2 have a list of prohibited items which include damaged batteries – so check your gadgets before you even set off for the airport. Jet2’s website is quite clear: “Damaged Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) and/or spare/loose lithium batteries/cells (including power banks) are forbidden from carriage in all circumstances.”

Ryanair doesn’t provide any additional guidance other than keeping your phone charged. Under the FAQ ‘What happens if my smartphone or tablet dies before airport security?’, it states: “If you have already checked in online and your smartphone or tablet dies, you will receive a free of charge boarding pass at the airport.” However, it is not mentioned what your options would be if security refuses to let you through.

You can find out more about airport security on gov.uk.

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Ryanair has strict hand luggage rules with the free small personal bag limited to 40x30x20cm, but there are some surprising items you can bring onboard

As you prepare to board flights for your spring and summer holidays, knowing exactly how big your hand luggage should be and what you can and can’t pack can be a stressful affair – but Ryanair’s regulations allow some surprisingly unusual items.

While their free ‘small personal bag’ policy continues to leave countless travellers scratching their heads over whether their bag qualifies, the airline appears considerably more relaxed about what’s actually inside it.

Most airlines, Ryanair included, allow passengers to bring a ‘small personal bag’ on board free of charge, provided it fits beneath your seat.

If you haven’t bought the additional hand luggage option, there’s a considerable risk you’ll face a fine for carrying a bag larger than 40x30x20, making it absolutely essential that everything you pack serves a purpose.

Ryanair bans a lengthy list of items from their flights, including certain razors, some alcoholic beverages and sports equipment – however, people are astonished to discover what you are actually permitted to bring aboard.

The catalogue of items the airline allows on board encompasses many things that wouldn’t necessarily seem essential to the average traveller. Essentially, if it doesn’t appear to pose any danger, they’ll welcome even the most peculiar of items on board.

According to the Ryanair website, passengers can in fact travel with ashes on board the aircraft as a permitted item in cabin bags or as an addition to their standard allowance. However, these must be accompanied by both a death certificate and cremation certificate.

They state: “Please make sure that any ashes are very securely packaged inside a suitable container with a screw-top lid and that this is protected against breakage.”

Additionally, passengers are permitted to bring a parachute in their carry-on luggage, including paragliding wings, provided they conform to the standard size and weight restrictions.

For those wanting extra peace of mind, you can even bring your own life jacket, as long as it contains two carbon dioxide cylinders and two spares.

Confusion frequently arises regarding which electronic devices are permitted in hand luggage, and it turns out the answer is far more generous than most would expect. According to their website, Ryanair permits “up to 15 personal electronic devices” onboard.

These include smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, handheld gaming consoles, headphones and power banks. The caveat is that each must not exceed 100 Wh, which applies to spare lithium batteries and power banks, all of which are permitted provided they fall within this limit.

The stipulations for these electronic devices are somewhat more precise, however, with the airline specifying: “Spare lithium batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuits by: placement in original retail packaging, or insulating terminals by taping over exposed terminals, or placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch.”

Regarding items deemed ‘strictly prohibited’, this primarily refers to objects that could inflict harm or present a significant danger. Their catalogue includes:

• Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectiles — devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile.
• Stunning devices — devices designed specifically to stun or immobilise
• Explosives and incendiary substances and devices

The following items Ryanair state must not be carried on board for health and safety reasons, but can be carried in your hand luggage.

• Items designed for chopping, such axes, hatchets and cleavers,
• Ice axes, ice picks and ice skates,
• Razors and razor blades (except safety or disposable razors with enclosed blades and razor heads held in plastic compartments),
• Box cutters,
• Knives with blades of more than 6cm, including lockable or flick knives, ceremonial or religious knives and hunting knives made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a potential weapon, craft knives and utility knives and scrapers,
• Scissors with blades of more than 6cm, as measured from the fulcrum,
• Martial arts equipment with a sharp point or sharp edge, including throwing stars,
• Swords and sabres,
• Swordsticks, meat cleavers, machetes, Scalpels, crampons, grappling irons, hooked bars of iron and plates with iron spikes used in mountaineering,
• Harpoons and spears,
• Ski poles and walking or hiking poles
• crowbars, drills and drill bits, including cordless portable power drills
• tools with a blade or a shaft of more than 6 cm capable of use as a weapon, such as screwdrivers and chisels,
• saws, including cordless portable power saws,
• blowtorches,
• bolt guns and nail guns,
• hammers, pliers, wrenches and spanners
• Baseball and softball bats,
• Clubs and batons, such as billy clubs, blackjacks and night sticks,
• Martial arts equipment (for example, knuckledusters, coshes, flails),
• Tennis rackets, squash rackets and so on,
• Cricket bats,
• Hockey sticks, hurley sticks and lacrosse sticks,
• Kayak and canoe paddles,
• Skateboards,
• Billiard, snooker and pool cues,
• Darts,
• Fishing rods.

When it comes to liquids, each container must not exceed 100 ml and must be transported in a single, see-through plastic bag measuring up to 20 cm x 20 cm.

Ryanair requires that you’re able to “completely seal the bag” and accommodate it within your hand luggage. It will probably be removed from your baggage for separate screening.

Ryanair passengers could face an additional £55 fee

A Ryanair regulation could land passengers with £55 charges, and it’s got nothing to do with oversized luggage. The budget carrier is renowned for its stripped-back approach, with a habit of adding extra charges for items such as baggage and choosing your own seat.

At present, passengers on a basic ticket can only bring one small personal bag as hand luggage without facing additional charges. If this bag exceeds the dimensions, it will need to be placed in the hold – at an extra cost. And while many travellers are familiar with this regulation, there’s another Ryanair policy that could see you stung with extra charges.

If you’re jetting off with Ryanair you’ll be required to check in online. You can then save your boarding pass to a smartphone or tablet. As of November 2025 Ryanair has transitioned to “100% digital boarding passes via its app, eliminating paper passes to reduce costs, improve service, streamline rebooking, and save 300 tonnes of paper annually”.

You can check in online from 60 days ahead of your flight’s scheduled departure if you’ve purchased a seat, or 24 hours beforehand if you’re content to be assigned a complimentary seat. Regardless of seat selection, online check-in shuts two hours before the flight is scheduled to take off.

Following online check-in you’ll obtain your boarding passes, and you’ll be required to save a copy. If you fail to check in online, you’ll face an airport check-in charge of £55 or 55 euros.

To dodge the fee make sure you have a valid boarding pass before you head off to the airport. For those without a smartphone or tablet, Ryanair will print a boarding pass at no cost, provided you have already completed your online check-in prior to arriving at the airport.

Ryanair said it will remind passengers who are booked to fly to check-in online before they are due to depart.

The team at Money Saving Expert shared simple steps to take to get the best price for a new passport

Brits have been urged to follow some simple steps to ensure they get the best price for an essential travel document. According to experts, “millions” of people could have overpaid for their passports.

A passport is required for travel abroad. In the UK they are valid for 10 years for an adult, or five years for those under 16.

When your passport is due to expire, it is important you apply for a new one ahead of time, to ensure you don’t risk having to cancel a holiday. However, you may not realise that the way in which you apply for a new passport can affect the price.

Addressing this issue, the team at Money Saving Expert (MSE) said on its website : “Millions of Brits applying for a passport last year may have been able to save money by taking their own photo or applying online, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. If your passport’s due for renewal, here’s how to get it for less.”

The three main steps to remember are:

• Apply online rather than via post
• Take your own photo
• Renew before fees rise on April 8

Applying online

MSE said: “Currently, it’s £12.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online through GOV.UK instead of using a paper form. Of course, this isn’t an option for those excluded from, or who struggle to use, digital services – though if this is the case, you may want to consider the Post Office’s ‘Check & Send’ service.”

Check & Send is an optional extra that costs £16 on top of the standard passport fee.

Take your own photo

MSE continued: “If it’s been a while since you last applied for a passport, you may be surprised to learn that you can now take your passport photo yourself at home and upload it directly into your online application. This means you don’t need to shell out for photos taken at high-street shops or photo booths, which can typically cost between £5 and £13ish.”

Here are some pointers to help you get your photo right first time:

• You can use your smartphone – just make sure the photo is clear, in focus and in colour
• Take it against a plain, light background. The photo should include your head, shoulders and upper body, with no other people or objects in the frame
• Avoid editing or altering it. It will be cropped for you during the application process, so there’s no need to do that yourself

Renew before fees rise

Passport fees will rise on Wednesday, April 8. This is how much they will rise by:

• Adult: takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £94.50, online cost from April 8 – £102, postal cost now – £107, postal cost from April 8 – £115.50
• Adult fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £178, online cost after April 8 – £178
• Adult ‘Premium’ – given at the appointment – online cost now – £222, online cost after April 8 – £239.50
• Child – takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £61.50, online cost after April 8 – £66.50, postal cost now – £74, postal cost after April 8 – £80
• Child fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £145, online cost after April 8 – £145

For full details and to renew online visit GOV.UK here.